Ultimate Family Camping Trip: Exploring Utah and Colorado’s National Parks

My husband deployed for 6 months when my kids were only 6 months and 2 years old. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done — solo parenting while he was 9 time zones away.  As soon as we found out when he was returning from deployment and his spring break dates, we started planning our family camping trip to Utah and Colorado’s National Parks. It gave us something to look forward to during those long months. I never in my wildest dreams would’ve predicted how incredible this trip would be. We traveled 15 days across the Southwest United States through Colorado, Arizona, and Utah and visited 7 National Parks with our SUV and Forest River NoBo 10.5 camper in tow. In this blog post, I’ll highlight the best moments of each day during our family camping trip through Utah and Colorado’s National Parks. Along with the campgrounds we stayed at, hikes and activities we did in each national park, and more about living in a 13’ camper with 4 people for 2 glorious weeks!

Day 1: Bishop Castle (Rye, CO)

Our first day was a sort of test run. We were close enough to home that we could bail out if everything went to crap. Turns out, we were pretty set and hadn’t forgotten anything major. We drove about 1.5 hours south of our current home, Colorado Springs, to visit Bishop Castle — a stone structure built entirely by one man: Jim Bishop. We stayed at a 1-star campground with very basic amenities and questionable neighbors, but it was open in early April and had hookups (like power and running water). Sleep was rough the first night. Actually, it was rough the first 4 nights. We don’t co-sleep at home, so all 4 of us on a queen mattress definitely took some getting used to. By night 5, we were doing pretty great.

Day 2: Great Sand Dunes National Park (Alamosa, CO)

After surviving the night and not yet ready to bail and call it quits, we hit the road for some serious travel. Returning to Great Sand Dunes National Park was made even sweeter with my baby boy in tow, who was still in my belly at 7 months pregnant during our last visit. Hiking in so much sand is not for the faint of heart. So be prepared for 1) walking in what feels like quicksand and 2) sand in literally everything. It’s such a fun place with kids, though. I think sand is therapeutic and Levi loved tucking his toes into the warm sand and Lillie found joy rolling down the dunes and riding dads back up like a monkey.

Our campground for the night was beautiful and the co-owner Linda was so friendly and welcoming. Although our spot was forever away from the bathrooms, they had a fun playground for the kids and a brand-new walkway that ran through the entire campground and along the river. We all enjoyed riding down to the river and into town to the local park.

Campground Info:

• Location: Woods and River RV Park (Del Norte, CO)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: nice bathrooms, a walkway along the river, a fun playground
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Day 3: Pagosa Springs Resort (Pagosa Springs, CO)

We decided on day 3 to splurge and visit Pagosa Springs Resort where we spent the day lounging in hot springs that ranged from 94 to 102°, with frigid river dips in between. Pagosa Springs is a town I’ve had marked on my map for a while and I was elated to finally switch from a “to visit” label to “starred”. The hot springs were probably one of the most relaxing things we did the entire trip. It was still pretty chilly outside, so we practically had the place to ourselves. Contrast bathing, the ancient practice of a hot soak followed by cold immersion, was fun for Stephen and I to take turns doing.

There’s a bar and restaurant on-site, as well as locker rooms, showers, and a small shop in the lobby. For more info, visit their website here.

The Last Resort on the River RV Park is appropriately named, because that’s what it was for us. There were very few campgrounds open this time of the year near Pagosa Springs. There’s nothing to write home about for this place, but it worked for 1 night. It’s probably more expensive than what it was worth.

Campground Info

• Location: The Last Resort on the River (Pagosa Springs, CO)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: they have new ownership so hopefully things are improving
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Day 4: Durango to Mesa Verde National Park

The following morning, we drove to Durango and stopped at The Powerhouse – Science Center/TinkerLab. This was a great place to break up our drive and let the kids get some serious play in. They’re only open certain days of the week so we got lucky that they were open the day we were in town. Tuesday is Toddler Tuesday and there were lots of kids Lillie’s age there. A small room in the science center is specifically for 0-4 year olds and outside of that room are lots of great science experiments for older kids. We stayed for a few hours before heading to downtown Durango to grab lunch from Grassburger – an extremely kid-friendly spot with small picnic tables and a toy corral area for the kids. Their hand-cut fries were delicious and kept us tied over on our drive to Mesa Verde National Park.

We arrived too early to check into our campground, so we decided to head into the National Park and see the Cliff Palace. This is one of the National Parks that you can’t pull a trailer or camper through. You must drop any trailers/RVs right before the entrance station in a parking lot.

The drive to Cliff Palace Overlook, the famous ruins built by Ancestral Puebloans in 1300 CE, was on a windy curvy road. It’s a short hike down a path and then down a set of steps to get to the viewpoint. This is not a stroller or handicap-friendly viewpoint. Cliff Palace, as seen below, contained 150 rooms and had a population of approximately 100 people. You can only enter Cliff Palace by ranger-guided tour.

Our campground for the night, Ancient Cedars Mesa Verde RV Park, was incredible. We were in a spot right by the playground, bathrooms, and the recreation lodge. The latter was the best part because the wind had picked up and a cold front came in, chasing us inside the lodge to warm up our leftover burgers in the microwave and the chance to eat at an actual table. Stephen and I were able to work on some school / job stuff with the great WiFi that was available while the kids hung out and played in the warm lodge. A horse farm was adjacent to the campground and they loved seeing the horses and feeding them leftover carrots.

Campground Info

• Location: Ancient Cedars RV Park (Del Norte, CO)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: playground, pool, recreational lodge, next to a horse barn
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Day 5: Monument Valley

The landscape between Mesa Verde National Park and Monument Valley, Utah was ever-changing. We passed by Four Corners National Monument but didn’t stop because we had napping kids in the car (IYKYK). The state lines were confusing as we passed through New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona all within a few minutes. The landscape changed from dry desert to lush rolling hills and finally to red dirt and rock statues (like Mexican Hat!).

We arrived over a hill into Monument Valley to see people standing all over the road. One look at Google Maps told us this was the famous Forrest Gump Hill from the movie. I have a feeling it gets crowded here during the summertime.

Our campground for the night was a splurge ($$$) but located in a perfect spot near Monument Valley. Goulding’s RV Park is just minutes away from the Navajo nation, and they have practically everything you need (albeit at a much higher rate). There’s a gas station, restaurant, indoor pool, hikes leading directly from the campground, wood for purchase, and much more.

After a long drive and setting up our campsite, we hiked up to Goulding’s Arch which provided a beautiful view of Monument Valley and the campground below. Our night was spent catching up – on laundry, work, and showers. I cooked a big meal of pork chops, baked beans, and mac n cheese, which eased any homesickness any of us were feeling (not much, btw). Stephen built a fire and I put the kids to bed in the camper before sneaking out to spend alone time with him for a few minutes before it got too cold to stay out any longer (low 20s and windy)! The stars were incredible, and we played around with some fun night photography on the iPhone.

Campground Info

• Location: Goulding’s Resort RV & Campground (Monument Valley, Utah)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: small showers (no family size showers), nice laundry room, shop on site, indoor pool
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Day 6: Visiting Monument Valley

Most people opt to just drive the 17-mile scenic drive through Monument Valley, but we wanted to see the buttes up close and the best way to do that was Wildcat Trail. It’s a moderate 6km loop that gets you up close to West Mitten Butte and tons of opportunities to see wildlife and the different plants throughout the valley.

Tip: be sure to bring plenty of water because there’s no water along the way. We hiked earlier in the morning before it got too hot, and it was even chilly with the wind at certain points along the trail.

After our 2-hour hike, we drove up to the gift shop and walked out to John Wayne’s overlook —it’s rumored this was his favorite spot to look out over Monument Valley. He filmed many movies here like Stagecoach.

($8 per person entry fee for Monument Valley. Kids 6&under are free)

We then drove the 17-mile scenic drive. The road is super rough and unpaved. No campers or RVs are allowed to drive through. Instead, you can take a jeep/truck tour if you don’t want to drive through it but in mid-April, everyone looked miserable and cold, especially with the dust turned up everywhere. The park brochure predicted 2-3 hours, but it took us just under 1 hour. It was worth it to see all the formations. There are spots to pull out and the formations are labeled well. My favorite was The Thumb!

Back at the campground we all 4 napped together in our small homey camper for a few hours. I cooked a delicious meal of spaghetti with a side of buttered sourdough bread and did some more laundry and caught up on work while dad took the kids for a short hike.

Day 7: Page, Arizona

I couldn’t believe we’d already been traveling a week at this point. It was flying by. We left beautiful Monument Valley and drove towards Page, Arizona where we made stops at Horseshoe Bend, Walmart, and Glen Canyon Dam before finding a spot on the beaches of Lake Powell.

Horseshoe Bend was the first time all week we’d been around that many tourists and it was crazy seeing so many people vile for the perfect photo. It felt like a preview to come for the National Parks we were headed to next. I think it’s worth the visit to see this incredible landmark, no matter how crowded it may get.

Horseshoe Bend Info:

• $10 for entry for campers/vans
• Bathrooms on site
• 1.5 miles down to the viewpoint (handicap & stroller-friendly)
• Plenty of parking

We stocked up on diapers and some fruit at Walmart, drove by Glen Canyon Dam really fast so I could take a picture, and then stopped at the “The New Wave”. This trail resembles the famous Wave, which has a lottery-based permit system and is incredibly hard to obtain. I found this awesome hike on Google Maps, and it was so fun to climb through the red and white layers of sandstone and see the wave formations. It’s the next best thing to The Wave and Lillie loved getting to rock climb and jump from rock to rock.

That night we camped at Lone Rock beach primitive Camping. This is must’ve been a well-known spot because campers lined the ridge all wanting the best view of the lake. Lone Rock wasn’t surrounded by water, as it seemed the area was experiencing a drought. We played in the sand and opened the tent seconds before the wind came out of nowhere and ruined all our fun. The sand was pelting us and snapped the tent shut before we could put it away.

We said forget this; no way we’re cooking dinner, so we drove back into town and got Sonic and ate Hot Dogs and tater tots in the car. This is the reality of camping, especially with an outdoor kitchen… If the weather isn’t ideal, it’s a no-go to cooking dinner for the night. We hid in the camper the rest of the night and tried our best to clean the sand out of literally everything we owned. By the way, it still cost us $14 to “primitive” camp since it was on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property.

Campground Info

• Location: Lone Rock Beach Primitive Camping (Near Page, AZ but in Utah)
• Reservations? No, FCFS but there’s plenty of room
• Notes: vault toilets every few feet, no other amenities, not much service, pay upon arrival via machine

Day 8: The Road to Zion National Park

Our days were jam-packed, but this one was even more so. Zion deserves a post all to itself, so I’ll keep our journey there and into the park kinda short.

We packed up and dusted all the sand off our camping items before heading away from Lake Powell. We saw a point of interest labeled on Google Maps and stopped by the Grand Staircase Escalante Visitor Center. The rangers inside were so helpful and nice. I asked them if they had to choose one thing to see that morning, what would it be? And both responded “Paria River Valley Road”. It was about 30 minutes from the visitor center and on our way to Zion, so off we set for our next spot. Here’s the exact location of the start to the badlands as it can be hard to find (Google Maps location).

We had no idea how beautiful it would end up being. It was a 6-mile long extremely rough dirt road. We went down into Paria along US 89 into high-layered cliffs and undulating, colorful badlands. I’ve never seen anything like it before; the waves or the red sandstone. The cliffs on both sides of the road were equally layered and multi-colored with alternating red, white, purple, and grayish-blue strata. We only passed a few vehicles along the way. Photos truly won’t do this place justice!

We then set off to our campground, Zion River Resort & Campground. Our site, 75, backed right up to the playground which was awesome for the kids. We were also located next to the dog park. The store/lodge was beautiful and very well maintained, along with the pool and hot tub areas.

We thought we’d be able to drive into Zion National Park and straight to the visitor center, but as we drove into Springdale, the signs said parking was full and to park in the town of Springdale. We parked right by the Majestic Lodge (paid parking) and hopped on the free shuttle bus (Springdale Line) that took us to the Visitor Center. It seemed confusing at first, but it made more sense with all the signs and bus drivers directing people. You’ll cross over the bridge from Springdale to the Zion National Park Visitor Center, passing through the entrance point where you’ll show your National Park Pass or pay the park fee, and then take the Zion Line up to your next destination.

Our hike for the evening was the Emerald Pools. It was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived, and a perfect time to hike since it was cooling off and not as crowded. The Emerald Pools hike begins from the Zion Lodge. We hiked first to the lower emerald pools and walked underneath the waterfall to get to the middle emerald pools. The further in we hiked, the less amount of people there were. The first pool is pretty easy and the trail gets more strenuous at each pool. We hiked all the way up to the upper pool and I was mesmerized watching the grandiosity of the waterfall and seeing it fall down in waves into the pool below. I wish I could’ve sat there and painted it (if I was even slightly an artist).

We hiked back down and took the shuttle to Zion Visitor Center, crossed over the bridge, and got on the Springdale Line. A nice couple on the shuttle recommended a spot for dinner and we took them up on that recommendation, which paid off. Oscar’s Café was delicious and the portions were huge. We got there around 5:30pm and by the time we left around 6:30, there was a long line around the block.

It was the perfect first day in Zion and a great taste of what our next day would be like!

Campground Info:

• Location: Zion River Resort RV Park & Campground (Virgin, Utah)
• Website: click here
• Notes: beautiful lodge, 5-star park, outdoor pool and hottub, timed showers, full hookups
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Hiking Info:

Day 9: Hiking in Zion National Park

Zion National Park is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen – and I’ve traveled all over the world. The way that the canyon and sandstone are formed by the rushing river is just insane. The water literally constructs the landscape and is ever-changing.

This day of our trip was incredible. We again took the shuttle into Zion from Springdale and got off at the Grotto stop. We hiked the famous West Rim Trail to Scouts Lookout (which is where Angels Landing hiking trail begins).

West Rim Trail starts off easily but quickly changes to switchbacks with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. The switchbacks are steep, on the edge of the cliff, and a real calf burner. It levels out a bit through the canyon before the final ascent of switchbacks. There are over 20 switchbacks and more than 1,500 feet of elevation gain to get to Scouts Lookout in Zion National Park. From here, you can continue on to Angels Landing, a permit-based hike that is known for being extremely strenuous and risky.

• There are bathrooms at the top (but they smell awful)
• Absolutely no water along the way

This hike made us feel so alive and strong carrying our kids to the top, and we celebrated with beers and a yummy lunch at Zion Brewery before taking the shuttle back to our car, back to the campground, and jumping in the semi-warm pool!

All 4 of us crashed with a long nap before we drove back to Springdale (just 10 minutes from Zion River Resort) where we rented a bike trailer from Zion Adventure Company! From there, we took the kids back into Zion and biked the entirety of Pa’rus Trail, a paved 3.2-mile path that runs along the river. I really wanted to do this at sunset to see the mountains in the evening and it did not disappoint. They seemed to light on fire and it was the perfect way to spend our last night in Zion National Park. It felt like we had the park all to ourselves.

I thought 2 nights would be enough for visiting, but it was nowhere close. Maybe one day we’ll return again to Zion!

Day 10: Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park

We left Zion National Park (with teary eyes — or maybe that was just me) and drove through the 1.1-mile Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel, where Lillie constantly asked where the sun went and then demanded we drive through more tunnels! It looked like Mars on the other side, but I wasn’t able to get many photos without becoming carsick.

We had watched a few (okay, a lot) of YouTube videos before our trip, and Through My Lens did a great one of the National Parks we’d be visiting. In it, he mentioned a Rock / Coffee / Donut shop, so we had no choice but to stop because…how cool is that? The Rock Stop in Orderville, Utah had seriously the best donuts and iced coffee and we got to see beautiful rocks and gemstones! It was just what I needed before the 2-hour ride to Bryce Canyon National Park.

After checking into our campsite among the trees at Ruby’s Inn, we caught the free shuttle from there into Bryce Canyon. Our first stop is always the visitor center and this time, it especially paid off because the trail I had planned for us to hike was closed due to weather conditions. So, the wonderful Rangers advised us on which trail to do.

The name Bryce Canyon is misleading because it’s not as much of a canyon as it is a series of natural amphitheaters. It has the largest collection of hoodoos in the world, which are these funny-looking structures that are shaped by freezing and thawing of water over many years.

We took the park shuttle from there to Bryce Point, which undoubtedly has the best view of the park. Our next stop was to the General Store to start our Queens Garden Loop.

After 2 days of hiking in Zion, my legs were SORE. So the 450 feet descent into the amphitheater and then 450 feet back up was rough. Both kids fell asleep in the warm Utah sun and we hiked in sweaty quiet bliss. We worked up quite an appetite and splurged on a buffet dinner within walking distance of our campground — Ruby’s Inn Cowboy Buffet & Steak Room which had a salad bar that I still think about.

Campground:

• Location: Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground (Bryce Canyon City, Utah)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: free national park shuttle stop right at the entrance, walkable to Ruby’s Inn and dining area + general store, wooded and the closest campground to Bryce Canyon NP
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Hiking trail:

Day 11: Bryce National Park to Capitol Reef National Park to Moab

This day was our longest drive yet and more of a catch-up on laundry and groceries day. In total, we drove about 5 hours from Bryce to Moab, Utah. We made a brief stop at Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center for a bathroom break, and water fill-up & to get our passport stamp and sticker! It was there that we learned all about the black boulders that dot the landscape.

Large black boulders are strewn all along the landscape of Capitol Reef National Park and add striking additions to the red sandstone.

Arrival into Moab was early in the afternoon, so Lillie and I did mundane tasks like showering and MANY loads of laundry while Stephen and Levi went grocery shopping. The kids played on the playground, and I folded clothes and made yummy burritos for dinner. It was just the kind of rest day we needed before exploring Moab and the surrounding area.

Campground Info:

• Location: Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown (Moab, Utah)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: located within biking distance from downtown and close to the river bike path, sites are pretty close to each other, GREAT playground, right behind a gas station
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Day 12: Arches National Park to Dead Horse Point State Park to Canyonlands National Park

Our first stop of the day was Arches National Park. Timed entry tickets are required and I purchased one of the first time slots to beat the traffic and the heat. We arrived between 8-9 am. Tickets are free but there’s a $2 processing fee. You can get them online in advance or the night before at 6 pm.

We stopped by Balanced Rock for a photo, then parked at the Sand Dunes Arch trailhead and hiked the short distance to Sand Dunes Arch, a great place for kids to play in the sand. The wind was strong and the air was chilly this morning, and we came unprepared in our layering of clothes. From there, we hiked to Broken Arch and took some fun photos. I had read that the hike to the most famous arch, Delicate Arch, was long and strenuous. We decided to see more arches in less time and only took a quick peek at the famous arch from the Lower Viewpoint of Delicate Arch parking lot. The line of people in the distance waiting to take their photo at Delicate Arch was appalling, and it wasn’t even 10 am yet.

The final arch of our morning was my favorite – Double Arch. It was awesome to climb on and I love the photos we were able to take from inside the arches.

A short 45-minute drive from Arches National Park brought us to Dead Horse Point State Park, where the entry fee is $20. We drove out to the point for an absolutely stunning view of the canyon and the Green River. Down below we could see Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park. My main goal for this park was to recreate a photo from 18 years ago when I visited out west with my family, and I really love seeing these photos side by side and the change of landscape and how the state park has evolved over 18 years.

15 minutes from the point is Canyonlands National Park. Their visitor center was one of the most kid-friendly ones we’ve been to. They have little peekaboo displays and exhibits, which are great for hands-on learning. The textured map displays are always a hit as well.

After driving back to the campground, I rode over and picked up a Kids Ride Shotgun from a bike shop across our campground and Stephen installed the kids’ seat on his bike while little man and I took a quick nap in the camper. We spent the evening biking around downtown Moab, about 6 miles, along the river and to dinner at BluPig BBQ. It was a long day, but full of memories made. Lillie loved getting to climb up to visit the Arches and Levi was a huge fan of riding in his bike seat through town.

Day 13: Mountain Biking in Moab

Moab has some of the most spectacular and challenging mountain biking of anywhere. It’s a true mountain biker’s paradise mixed with incredible landscapes of red rocks and snowy peaks in the distance.

We checked out of our campground and headed to Bar M cycling park right on the edge of Moab. We intended to spend just a short time here but ended up staying for hours! And it might’ve been one of the best mornings so far.

Lillie on her Strider Bike practiced her hills and bridges in the corral before we set off on a loop as a family of 4. The trail was way rockier than we had anticipated, and I didn’t want to jumble Levi too much on the bike seat. So, Stephen and I took turns going out solo while one stayed back with the kids and hung out.

We pulled out our outdoor kitchen and set up lunch while watching the bikers do their thing on the jumps and crags. It was so much fun! There are trails here for everyone from beginners to expert.

My favorite trail:

After a whole morning of biking, we hit the road for a 4-hour drive back into the state of Colorado and to Ridgway State Park. We started seeing the snowcapped mountains and it instantly felt like home. The temps dropped as we entered Ridgway State Park. There is a $10 state park fee required that expires each day at noon. We camped in spot 179, but spot 184 has the best view in my opinion. It was practically an empty campground and we hung out, cooked pasta for dinner then we did dishes & shower. It rained on us for the first time and even snowed a little bit. We had a gorgeous view of the San Juan Mountains from our campground.

Campground Info:

• Location: Ridgway State Park and Campground (Ridgway, Colorado)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: could be a long walk to the bathroom depending on where you’re at, nice hot showers but only 2 of them, laundry room/dishwashing area, very beautiful and woodsy, no wifi
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Day 14: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Ridgway State Park (Colorado)

Our morning started out slow, with coffee and reading in the camper. We cleaned up and headed to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This has to be one of the most underrated National Parks I’ve ever been to. It’s so unassuming. You would have no idea it exists from a mile away. The park sits beside the small town of Montrose, CO and there’s no grand entrance to the park. It’s just a little winding road up the mountain and then all of a sudden you’re on the edge of the canyon. The walls really are a deep black color.

We stopped at the visitor center for our sticker and passport stamp, then drove up to the trailhead for Warner Point Nature Trail – a 1.5-mile moderate hike to an incredible viewpoint. You can see snow in some of the photos and it was a pretty chilly day. To hike down into the canyon and see the Gunnison River up close requires a wilderness permit (free).

The walls are over 2200 feet deep and are laced with this pink intrusive rock called Pegmatite, which was fascinating to learn about.

After our hike, we stopped at a few different viewpoints like Painted Wall, and then headed to pick up some groceries from the first Target we’ve seen all trip. We cooked some food in the air fryer and enjoyed one of our last nights at Ridgway State Park campground. I snuck out sometime before midnight to catch a glimpse of the sky and captured this airplane flying through.

Hiking Info:

Day 15: Salida, Colorado

We drove from Ridgway State Park through Monarch Pass where the snow at the continental divide was up to our car door on the side of the road. Our campground for the night was the brand-new Salida RV Resort right by the Arkansas River.

We biked into town to check out historic Salida, the largest historic district in Colorado. Salida is known for its indoor hot springs, but we decided to skip and spend the day outdoors as it was so beautiful. The downtown was full of cyclers, families out and about, surfers on the river, and everyone enjoying their day.

Their playground was fun and perfect for the kids. Lunch at High Side Bar and Grill was delicious and beautiful right by the river.

Campground Info:

• Location: Salida RV Resort (Salida, CO)
• Website: click here
• Reservations? Yes
• Notes: gorgeous lobby and recreational area, bathrooms and laundry, great wifi, close to downtown
• Sites: Mix of pull-throughs and back-ins

Our last day was bittersweet, and I snuggled my babies extra tight that night as we all 4 slept in the camper on our queen-sized bed.

Final Thoughts

This trip was easily one of the best trips we’ve ever done. Our family camping trip through Utah and Colorado’s National Parks was chock full of wonderful memories, gorgeous views, a crap ton of hiking & biking, and so many wonderful nights of snuggling. I hope you enjoyed this recap of our 15-day Southwest USA camping trip!